Rail car brakes are generally fail safe systems. That is, when a portion of the system fails, the brakes are usually applied automatically as a safety precaution. This can result in brakes being applied when not intended. Likewise, if the brakes are set (e.g., calibrated) while the car is heavily loaded and then not reset after unloading, the brakes may be applied when not intended.
Rail car brakes that are applied when not intended or more than necessary or desired are subject to more wear, and reduced life, and may result in earlier failure of the brake and/or other components of the rail car. Additionally, rail car bearings and/or other components of the rail car may fail separately from the rail car brakes. When one or more components of a rail car fail, the result may include an increased or disproportional wear or stress on the rail car wheel and/or its other components, which may result in further components of the rail car or wheel failing.